Torsion bars and control arms

[Skip Towne]

What if anything do you have to do with the torsion bars when working on the control arms and/or ball joints.

 

[JAMMANICA]

If you mean what I think you mean, unlike coil springs that fight you torsion bars are relatively mild. If you aren't used to working on a tbar front end you will be amazed at how little it moves.
I've never taken lower arms off but ball joints and uppers all you have to do is take the tires off and support under the bottom arm with a jack stand or a big piece of wood. So much easier than coil springs.

 

[poker4me007]

If you mean what I think you mean, unlike coil springs that fight you torsion bars are relatively mild. If you aren't used to working on a tbar front end you will be amazed at how little it moves.
I've never taken lower arms off but ball joints and uppers all you have to do is take the tires off and support under the bottom arm with a jack stand or a big piece of wood. So much easier than coil springs.

This^^^

Here a good video if your replacing lower control arms.

 

[imp]

What if anything do you have to do with the torsion bars when working on the control arms and/or ball joints.

@Skip Towne
The torsion bars "twist" very little to provide suspension support as well as movement, but are actually under tremendous torquing forces while doing that. Try to picture plugging the torsion bar into it's socket in the control arm, then twisting it enough to hold up the front of the vehicle! You absolutely couldn't do it.

So, while supporting the weight by blocks under the lower arm, the torsion bars simply remain under tension while work is performed elsewhere, but keep in mind, anything that is disconnected which is involved in keeping torsion on that bar is going to suddenly and explosively (almost) relieve that tension, just like if you pried out a loaded coil spring, and it flew out like a cannonball!

The tension on the bars is relieved somewhat by supporting the weight of the vehicle on the frame, allowing the suspension to drop down, and then, if working on the bar, or removing it, the preload torque is relieved by loosening the bolt which bears against the short arm protruding at the rear end of the bar. Then the bar can be slipped (driven) out of it's hex socket in the control arm, and removed. imp

 

[Skip Towne]

Thanks for the information. I will be careful. I had spring compressor loaned from auto zone slip while working on a strut. It didn't fly off but did make me wet myself when it moved and made a loud bang. Turned out the hooked parts were beaten with a hammer spsit lost it's grip under pressure.

 

[Skip Towne]

If you mean what I think you mean, unlike coil springs that fight you torsion bars are relatively mild. If you aren't used to working on a tbar front end you will be amazed at how little it moves.
I've never taken lower arms off but ball joints and uppers all you have to do is take the tires off and support under the bottom arm with a jack stand or a big piece of wood. So much easier than coil springs.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Skip Towne]

What about replacing the hardware(nuts and bolts and washers) when you replace suspension and steering parts. Don't those nuts have nylon inserts and are not renewable.

 

[shucker1]

They are standard fasteners and can be reused.

 

[410Fortune]

please do not support the truck you are working on with a block of wood! wood can come apart and the truck will fall

 

[swshawaii]

Or hollow tile cinder blocks known to collapse, maim, or kill.

Strong jack stands may be the best investment you ever make.
Craftsman 4 Ton Jack Stands



Welcome to Sears.com
Welcome to Sears.com

 

[Skip Towne]

please do not support the truck you are working on with a block of wood! wood can come apart and the truck will fall

I ALWAYS USE THEM SO SHOULD EVERYONE

 

[JAMMANICA]

please do not support the truck you are working on with a block of wood! wood can come apart and the truck will fall

LOL you haven't seen my blocks of wood evidently you know me better than that. I have 12 X 12 railroad ties I use for this ain't no 2X4 in my collection.

 

[JAMMANICA]

P.S. , I cut 2 torsion bars with a torch a couple weeks ago, they only moved slightly when the flame was finished.

 

[donalds]

torsion bar removal
Post#4

 

[imp]

Or hollow tile cinder blocks known to collapse, maim, or kill.

Strong jack stands may be the best investment you ever make.

@swshawaii

True that! Watch out for cheapie jack stands like some from Harbor Freight, etc. I had one shear the roll-pin they had used through the arm on the lift-up shaft, which allowed the center toothed support to simply fall all the way down.

Cinder (concrete) blocks will crumble if you drop them on the pavement, think about loading with a couple thousand pounds. In an emergency situation, a cinder block sitting in the position it is normally used to build with, will support weight on it's CENTER section, if carefully placed. NOT to be used for getting under vehicle. imp

 

[J_C]

@swshawaii

True that! Watch out for cheapie jack stands like some from Harbor Freight, etc. I had one shear the roll-pin they had used through the arm on the lift-up shaft, which allowed the center toothed support to simply fall all the way down.

Those are designed such that the sheer pin should be able to break off without dropping the load, is a safeguard against bumping the handle hard enough to cause it to drop. For it to fall from a sheer pin break under load, there must have been another defect too. Without the sheer pin the pawl should lock into the ratchet bar and stay there until the ratchet bar/saddle-assembly is lifted.

Edit: I could be wrong, am thinking of the more common A-frame style stand with a cast iron center ratchet/saddle. There is the other type with a double-tube setup where the height is adjusted by aligning holes and putting a large, solid steel pin through them. That type (pictured below) might drop from a pin failure.

 

[imp]

Those are designed such that the sheer pin should be able to break off without dropping the load, is a safeguard against bumping the handle hard enough to cause it to drop. For it to fall from a sheer pin break under load, there must have been another defect too. Without the sheer pin the pawl should lock into the ratchet bar and stay there until the ratchet bar/saddle-assembly is lifted.

Edit: I could be wrong, am thinking of the more common A-frame style stand with a cast iron center ratchet/saddle. There is the other type with a double-tube setup where the height is adjusted by aligning holes and putting a large, solid steel pin through them. That type (pictured below) might drop from a pin failure.......

@J_C
You are absolutely right. Only purpose of the roll-pin is to allow raising of the pawl to drop the foot down. The pin-type you showed would be very questionable in comparison. Also harder to set up, ya gotta go searching for the hole!

Sometimes recalling some event, it's shady in my old mind (the broken pin, for example!). imp